Tabula Moderna Indiae (Tabu Moder Indiae)

Dated 1842 in the plate; this example a later state. c. 1850
Copper engraving with original hand-coloured outline

Print size: 24.5 x 20.75 in (62 x 53 cm)
Sheet size: 27.25 x 21.75 in (69 x 55.5 cm)
Folded size: 14.17 x 21.85 in (36 x 55.5 cm)

John Arrowsmith’s India—A Transitional Political Map of British Ascendancy, c. 1850

This exceptionally detailed political map of India by John Arrowsmith presents the subcontinent at a decisive moment in the consolidation of British power. Although the engraved imprint bears the date 1842, the present example incorporates later political revisions, notably depicting both Punjab and Sindh as British possessions. These features securely place this state after the Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845–49) and indicate an effective publication date closer to circa 1850.

Arrowsmith’s map meticulously differentiates British territories, regions under British influence, and independent states through original outline colour. By the time this state was issued, Malwa, Nepal, and Bhutan had emerged as the only remaining independent polities, underscoring the near-completion of British territorial dominance across the subcontinent. The cartography reflects the highest standards of mid-nineteenth-century British mapmaking, combining extraordinary density of place names with administrative clarity and geographic precision.

Rivers, roads, and settlements are engraved with exceptional finesse, while the Himalaya and northern frontiers are carefully articulated, reflecting contemporary imperial interest in borderlands and security. Arrowsmith’s India maps were regarded as authoritative references for government, commercial, and scholarly use, and later states such as this are particularly valued for documenting the rapid geopolitical transformations of the period.

Well-preserved examples retaining original hand-colour are increasingly scarce, and this sheet stands as a compelling visual record of Britain’s near-complete ascendancy in South Asia.

NON-EXPORTABLE

This lot is offered at RESERVE

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as reference for the condition of each lot.